Detachable spade for wheeled gun-carriages.



0.LAUBBR. DETAGHABLB SPADE FOB WHEELED GUN GARRIAGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1913.

. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEE'1 1.

llll I 0. L-AUBBR. DETAGHABLE SPADB FOR WHBELBD GUNv GARRIAGBS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1913.

Patented. Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fill iiiP i.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEio.

OTTO EAUBER, 0F BBEDENEY, GERMANY, ASSIGENOR TO FRIED. KRUPP AIK'ISIEH- GESELLSCHAFT, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

DETACHAIBLE SPADE FOR WH EELED GUN-CARRIAGES.

Specification of Letters. ?atent.

Application filed June 18, 1918. Serial No. 774,429.

new and useful Improvement in Detachable Spades for Wheeled Gun-Carriages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a detachable spade for wheeled gun carriages, and particularly for heavy artillery, and it resides therein that the spade is provided with organs which permit of attaching the wheels and a pole to the. spade so that it can be transported by itself.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating a wheeled gun carriage.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the trail with the spade, partly in section; Fig. 2 a

'top plan view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of a detail of the spade; Fig. 4a top plan view of Fig. 3; the following figures are in smaller scale: Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the spade in traveling position; Fig. 6 is a right hand front View of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 the trail and spade in position for attaching or detaching the space. I

The trail is constructed of two flasks A of [-shaped cross section. The ends of these flasks are connected with each other by means of a shoe B. The spade C C consists principally of a spade plate C and a compressing plate C The plate C and the compressing plate C are connected with each other by means of reinforcing flanges 0 On the under side of each flask A is situated anarrow claw a which is intended to engage with the forward edge a of the compressing plate C see Figs. 1 and 2. At the rear end of the compressing plate G a broad guiding piece D is secured, against which the surface 12 of the shoe B impinges, when the spade C G is attached to the trail end. Beside the claws a are provided two clamps E, see particularly Figs. 3 and 4, for connecting the spade with the trail end. Each of these clamps E are constructed to engage with a head 6 in a groove al see Fig. 1, of the guiding piece D and these clamps have a pair of eyelets e which are constructed to grip a rib b of the shoe B and may be locked to this rib by means of a pin 6 see Fig. 2. 'Lastly the clamps E are provided with surfaces e which abut against a surface I) on the shoe B, see Fig. 1, when the clamps E are in their working position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

tive to the spade C C by turning a pinion F mounted in bearings in the'shoeB, which p1n1on 1s in mesh with a toothed rack d of the guide piece D. The spade C C carries two. bearings G situated on the reinforcing flanges 0 which bearings are intended for a Wheel axle H for the wheels J. The wheel axle I-I may be non-revolubly and non-dis Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

The trail may be displaced laterally relaplaceably locked to the bearings G, by means of keys h. vided with co-axially arranged sleeves c 0 which serve to hold in place a curved pole K, see Figs. 5, 6 and ,7. The pole K may be secured by a key see Fig. 5 in the sleeve 0 and carries at its other end a trail eye 70* which is intended for engaging the limber hook m of a limber M. ,7

When the spade C G is to be detached from the trail and transported separate, the trail end, together with the spade is first to be raisedby means of a Windlass into the position shown in Fig. 7, the wheel axle H is thereupon pushed into its bearings G and, the wheels J placed on the wheel axle H. The pole K is then placed in the sleeves 0 c in the position indicated in Fig. 7, whereinit is turned 90 relative to its position shown in Fig. 5. The pin b is thereupon removed and the spade detached from the trail end by pushing against the wheels J. Lastly the pole K is limbered up on the limber'M, see Fig. 5, after it has been turned 90 and secured in the sleeve 0 by the key 70 To attach the transported spade on the The spade is furthermore pro trail end, the latter is first placed over a pit which has previously been dug out for receiving the spade, whereupon the trail .end

is raised from the ground by, means of a windlass, so that the spade on turning the 'riages comprising means for securing the bearings in said spade for the wheel axle,

and means for connecting the spade with a limber hook, whereby said spade is adapted to be transported separate,

3. A detachable spade for artillery carriages comprising means for securing the spade t0 the trail end, a wheel axle and traveling wheels for the same, transverse bearings in said spade for the wheel axle, a key for locking said wheel axle in position, and means for connecting the spade with a limber hook, whereby said spade is adapted to be transported separate.

4. A detachable spade for artillery carriages comprising meansfor securing thespade to the trail end, a wheel axle and traveling-wheels for thesame, bearings in said spade for thewheel axle, a pole having a trail eye for engaging the limber hook anil sleeves in the spade for receiving said P n t 5. A detachable spade for artillery car riages comprising means for securing the spade to the trail end, a wheel axle and travelin wheels for the same, hearings in said spa e for the wheel axle, a pole having a trail eye for enga 'ng the limber hook and sleeves in the spad for receiving said f1321c, and means for securing said pole in a ed position in said sleeves.

6. A detachable spade for artillery car riages comprising means for securing the spade to the trail end, a wheelaxle and traveling wheelsfor the same, transverse bearings in said spade for the wheel axle, a curved pole having a trail eye for engaging the limber hook and sleeves in the spade for receiving said pole, and means for securing said ole in a fixed position in said sleeves, in w ich its concave side lies opposite the ground.

a 7. A detachable spade for artillery carriages comprising means securing the spade to the trail end, a wheel axle and traveling wheels for the same, bearings on said spade for the wheel axle, and means for connecting the spade with a pole, whereby said spade is adapted to be transported separate.

The foregoing specification signed at Barmen, Germany, this 28th day of May,

OTTO LAUBEB. [11. s.] In presence of HELEN NUFER, ALBERT NUFER. 

